The following plot shows the potential energy of two Cl atoms as a function of the distance between them. (c) If the Cl 2 molecule is compressed under higher and higher pressure, does the Cl–Cl bond become stronger or weaker?

Hello everyone today. We are being given a diagram from below of a plot of potential energy as a function of the distance between the H and B. Are atoms. It's asking us what would happen to the Hbr bond strength if the HbR molecule is compressed at very high pressure. So if we look at our diagram here we have our inter atomic distance or the distance between these two atoms H. N. B. R. And then we have our potential energy on the y axis. And so the question says that at high pressure what is going to occur? So at high pressure these molecules are going to get condensed, they are going to get closer to each other. So we can say that a high pressure the inter nuclear distance or the I. N. D. Inter nuclear distance will decrease as these two atoms are brought together the space between their nuclei will come together and so the distance will decrease. And so we see on this chart here that as we decrease our inter atomic distance we see that we have a sudden increase in the potential energy. So we can also say that this will result in an increase in our potential energy as a result of an increase in our potential energy and a decrease in the the distance between these two. We will have a weakened bond. So we're gonna have a decreased strength of the bond. So high pressures the inter nuclear distances going to decrease causing an increase in our potential energy which will result in a weaker bond. I hope this helped and until next time.

Ch.9 - Molecular Geometry and Bonding Theories

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Brown 15th Edition

Ch.9 - Molecular Geometry and Bonding Theories

Problem 5c

Chapter 9, Problem 5c

The following plot shows the potential energy of two Cl atoms as a function of the distance between them. (c) If the Cl₂ molecule is compressed under higher and higher pressure, does the Cl–Cl bond become stronger or weaker?

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Observe the graph showing the potential energy of two Cl atoms as a function of the interatomic distance.

Identify the point where the potential energy is at its minimum; this corresponds to the equilibrium bond length of the Cl2 molecule.

Understand that the depth of the potential energy well at this point represents the bond energy, which is the energy required to break the bond.

Consider what happens when the Cl2 molecule is compressed under higher pressure: the interatomic distance decreases, moving left on the graph from the equilibrium point.

Note that as the interatomic distance decreases from the equilibrium point, the potential energy increases, indicating that the bond becomes weaker under higher pressure.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Potential Energy Curve

The potential energy curve illustrates how the potential energy of a system changes with the distance between two atoms. In the case of Cl atoms, the curve shows a minimum point where the bond is most stable, indicating the bond energy. As the distance decreases, potential energy decreases until it reaches a minimum, after which it increases sharply, indicating repulsion when atoms are too close.

Bond Strength and Distance

Bond strength is related to the energy required to break a bond. As the interatomic distance decreases, the bond becomes stronger until the equilibrium distance is reached. If the Cl–Cl bond is compressed further, the bond may weaken due to increased repulsion between the electron clouds of the atoms, which can lead to bond breaking if the pressure is excessive.

Effect of Pressure on Molecular Bonds

Applying pressure to a molecule can influence the bond length and strength. In the case of Cl2, increasing pressure can initially strengthen the bond by bringing atoms closer, but excessive pressure may lead to a weakening of the bond due to repulsive forces. Understanding this balance is crucial for predicting molecular behavior under varying conditions.

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The following plot shows the potential energy of two Cl atoms as a function of the distance between them. (c) If the Cl2 molecule is compressed under higher and higher pressure, does the Cl–Cl bond become stronger or weaker?

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

Key Concepts

Potential Energy Curve

Bond Strength and Distance

Effect of Pressure on Molecular Bonds

The following plot shows the potential energy of two Cl atoms as a function of the distance between them. (c) If the Cl₂ molecule is compressed under higher and higher pressure, does the Cl–Cl bond become stronger or weaker?